Tag: Contemporary Christian Romance

Etiquette teaches us tangible ways to give consideration to others. We learn how to interact with people kindly and thoughtfully.

Book Review | Uneasy Street (Sons of Scandal #3) by Becky Wade

Uneasy Street is the third and final story in Becky Wade’s Sons of Scandal series. I have to say this was my least favourite of the three. I found the conflict between Max and Sloane to be frustrating (even though it was also completely understandable).

The story didn’t really pick up until a couple of twists hit around the halfway point.

The setup is simple: Sloane has offered to care for her teenage niece while Ivy’s parents are working overseas for a few months. They have rented out their house but want Ivy to continue going to her regular school, so have rented an apartment for Sloane and Ivy … an apartment owned by Sloane’s college friend and one-time business partner, Max.

Max may not be a full-on billionaire, but he has all the toys including the private jet (are you really even a billionaire if you don’t have access to a private jet?). But Uneasy Street wasn’t the regular billionaire-meets-poor-girl romance, because Max and Sloane were both involved in the app’s establishment which means Sloane should be as rich as Max, but isn’t. But that isn’t what she resents.

I didn’t exactly like Sloane at first but I did admire her. She resented Max for having pushed her out of Libri, the digital library app they founded in college, not for the millions and millions he’d earned since pushing her out. I did appreciate that Max and Sloan covered off the misunderstanding behind their falling-out fairly early in the book, so the story wasn’t bogged down by that mystery.

Sloan is an etiquette expert whose muse is “Princess Kate” aka the Princess of Wales. This did mean she came across as a bit prissy and perhaps false, because there were times when her manners felt more like how she behaved rather than who she was.

I did enjoy the banter between Sloane and Max, especially when she forgot her etiquette and told him what she really felt.

My favourite character was Ivy, who wasn’t afraid to tell it how she saw it, and who had the typical teenage enthusiasm (and occasional thoughtlessness).

Becky Wade fans, especially those who have rad the first two Sons of Scandal stories, will want to read Uneasy Street. If you haven’t read a Becky Wade romance before, I’d recommend starting with True to You or Stay With me.

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Becky Wade

Author Photo Becky WadeBecky is the Carol and Christy award winning author of heartwarming, humorous, and swoon-worthy contemporary inspirational romances.

During her childhood in California, Becky frequently produced homemade plays starring her sisters, friends, and cousins. These plays almost always featured a heroine, a prince, and a love story with a happy ending. She’s been a fan of all things romantic ever since.

These days, you’ll find Becky in Dallas, Texas failing to keep up with her housework, trying her best in yoga class, carting her three kids around town, watching TV with her Cavalier spaniel on her lap, hunched over her computer writing, or eating chocolate.

You can find Becky Wade online at:

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About Uneasy Street

Uneasy Street by Becky WadeOnce upon a time Max Cirillo and Sloane Madison were close friends and business partners. But when their business relationship imploded, so did the friendship.

Now, four years later, Max is a rich CEO. Sloane’s a not-so-rich etiquette expert who returns to Maine to serve as her niece’s temporary guardian and help the girl search for her birth father. Sloane and her niece move into a darling garage apartment but Sloane’s joy in their accommodations soon turns to horror when she realizes their apartment belongs to Max. Thanks to an unbreakable lease, she’s stuck living right next door to him.

Max pulled strings to bring Sloane into his orbit because he needs closure on what went wrong between them. Quickly, though, his scheming comes back to bite him. The world might view him as a cold-hearted rake, but this one woman has dangerous power over his emotions.

They’ll have no choice but to confront their history—and the undeniable spark between them—while living side by side on uneasy street.

Discover witty humor, rich emotion, banter, and charm within the pages of this sweet enemies-to-lovers romance!

Find Uneasy Street online at:

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First Line Friday

First Line Friday #377 | An Overdue Match by Sarah Monzon

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m quoting from the upcoming release from contemporary Christian romance author Sarah Monzon, which features a librarian heroine and a tattoo-artist hero.

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

Libraries aren’t famous for their penal codes, but some literary offenses deserve due punishments.

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

 

About An Overdue Match

Can a librarian’s matchmaking mischief lead to a love that rewrites their stories?

An Overdue Match by Sarah MonzonIf the covers of every romance book ever published didn’t convince librarian Evangeline Kelly that she isn’t heroine material, her fiancé calling off their wedding when she lost her hair to alopecia did. But what’s a girl head over heels for love to do when her feelings are unrequited? Matchmake, that’s what. Armed with library patrons’ check-out histories, she’s determined to make at least one love connection–even if it’s not her own.

Tattoo artist Tai Davis is used to people judging him with a single glance, so it doesn’t surprise him when the town’s quirky new librarian believes his bad-boy reputation without giving him a chance. He can’t help being intrigued by her, though, so when he discovers Evangeline’s secret matchmaking scheme, he’s not above striking a bargain with her. She just has to agree to one date with him for every time she uses his hometown knowledge to set up library patrons on a romantic rendezvous. The deal is made, but in the process, they both might learn you can’t judge a book–or each other–by the cover.

This is a sweet he-falls-first, opposites attract, matchmaker romantic comedy with disability representation. Perfect for fans of books about books and kisses-only romances.

Find An Overdue Match online at:

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Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

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Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

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Love isn't just for the easy, feel-good times. It's walking through the valley and choosing to stay.

Book Review | Right Before Their Eyes by Carrie Walker

Right Before Their Eyes is the sequel to Emma’s Hero, which I really enjoyed (click here to read my review). Emma’s Hero was the story of Emma, the single mother of a baby born with significant health issues, and Ben, a first responder, and their romance. It also introduces Mason, an introverted high school student whose mother volunteers him to buy groceries for Emma once a week to help out.

Right Before Their Eyes is set five years later, and Mason is the main character.

He is now in his final year of pre-med, having been inspired to study medicine after meeting Theo, Emma’s son. Mason is still best friends with Clare, his high school friend and crush, who is dating lawyer and aspiring judge Aiden.

Clare is a social worker who is being pulled in all direction. She is the primary caregiver for her grandmother, who has dementia and can’t be left alone. She is also busy at work, trying to find a new home for Lucia, a teen needing a new foster home. And Aiden keeps wanting her to spend time attending fancy events with him to further his career.

It’s obvious from early on that Mason loves Clare. It’s equally obvious that she doesn’t have a clue. In her defence, she’s borderline overwhelmed and doesn’t have time to think …

Right Before Their Eyes is inspiring Christian fiction. The characters are excellent, the situations all too realistic, and it encourages readers to see through the eyes of those in difficult situations – especially in the case of Lucia, a teenager in foster care whose life has been dramatically changed yet again.

Like Emma’s Hero, Right Before Their Eyes is Christian fiction that deals with hard situations and shows we can rely on God to bring us through. It’s also a strong Christian romance that kept me gripped until the very last page.

Thanks to the author and Mountain Brook Ink for providing a free ebook for review.

About Carrie Walker

Carrie WalkerCarrie Walker lives in Michigan with her husband and seven children. From her ten years serving as a high school youth minister, adventures around the globe, and raising a family, many stories have been knit within her heart.

As an avid reader she pens what she loves to read, contemporary stories that bring hope to a hurting world. Weaving romance among story lines of characters in struggle, she aims to show God working in all situations. When she’s not playing board games with her husband, shuttling kids in the Walker bus or wishing for snow, Carrie can be found at the keyboard bringing those stories to life.

Carrie’s writing has been recognized in many contests. Her debut novel, Emma’s Hero, placed in the ACFW Crown Award, Monroe Walton Center for the Arts Award, and won the 2020 ACFW First Impressions Contest.

Find Carrie Walker online at:

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About Right Before Their Eyes

Sometimes the love you need most looks different than you imagined.

Clare Martin thought nothing of agreeing to live with her dementia-ridden grandmother when her parents left on mission. Balancing that with her job as a social worker and the expectations of her career-driven boyfriend proved doable—until Grandma started a house fire.

Mason Hughes has loved Clare for years, but the time was never right to tell her and now she’s dating someone else, fixing Mason firmly in the friend zone. He’s working to be a pediatric neurologist, a dream inspired by a special boy with a terminal brain condition, and must choose a medical school. Finances are so tight he’s forced to consider a program across the country, a troubling fact he’s kept secret.

Lucia Roberts, a seventeen-year-old on Clare’s caseload, loses her foster home and is placed in an unwelcoming group home. At every turn she’s met with rejection and becomes desperate for any proof she has value—enough to make choices that could affect the rest of her life.

When Grandma Dottie and Lucia’s paths take a dangerous turn, Clare frantically tries to save them. As their lives knit together, will they find the love that’s right before their eyes?

Find Right Before Their Eyes online at:

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When she'd offered him everything he couldn't admit that he wanted, he hadn't been able to say no.

Book Review | Marrying the Rancher’s Daughter by Tara Grace Ericson

I don’t often re-read books as soon as I’ve finished them the first time, but Marrying the Rancher’s Daughter is an exception. Something about the story grabbed me and didn’t let go.

I think what I liked most was that the romance flowed naturally out of the plot rather than being the central focus of the story. Don’t get me wrong: I love a good romance.

But I also love a book that ties a story around the romance.

Cassie Reynolds is a marketing specialist working the rodeo circuit, and one of the top riders happens to be Jason Keen, who works for her father at Redemption Ranch. Jason comes to Cassie’s rescue after she is accosted by her abusive ex-boyfriend, Travis, who doesn’t understand that no means no. That provides the impetus for the plot, and for Cassie’s unusual proposition to Jason: a marriage of convenience.

The story combines age-gap, marriage of convenience and grumpy-sunshine tropes. I’ve always had a fascination with marriage of convenience stories, but it can be hard to find good contemporary romances with this trope, possibly because it can be hard to find an original yet believable reason for the marriage. I think Marrying the Rancher’s Daughter did this well.

The age gap was also handled really well.

Jason started working at Redemption Ranch when Cassie was twelve. That age gap had the potential to have a real ick factor, but was handled very well, as they had little do do with each other before the story starts.

While I’ve read some good books with the grumpy-sunshine trope (e.g. Indigo Isle by TI Lowe), I’ve also come across some I couldn’t even finish because there didn’t seem to be a reason why the character was grumpy. That’s not the case here.

Jason Keen isn’t grumpy as such.

It’s more that he was an angry young man who has recently become a Christian, and who is a bit of a loner who doesn’t feel the need to be liked by others. As a result, he keeps to himself. He’s not Mr. Popular, but he’s a hardworking and competent cowboy, and an excellent rodeo rider. Jason isn’t as articulate as Cassie, but that doesn’t mean his feelings are any less deep or complex.

Cassie is the outgoing Little Miss Sunshine, except when her ex shows up. She’s also fiercely independent and doesn’t want to accept help from anyone, least of all her father and brothers. I admired her independence and spirit and her unwillingness to take the easy path.

The story is contemporary Christian romance.

While the Christian elements underpin the story, but were very subtle. Overall, I loved Marrying the Rancher’s Daughter. Recommended for contemporary romance fans.

About Tara Grace Ericson

Tara Grace Ericson

​Tara Grace Ericson lives in Missouri with her husband and 3 sons. She studied engineering and worked as an engineer for many years before embracing her creative side to become a full-time author.

Her first book, Falling on Main Street, was written mostly from airport waiting areas and bleak hotel rooms as she traveled in her position as a sales engineer. She loves cooking, crocheting, and reading books by the dozen. Her writing partner is usually a good cup of coffee or tea.

Tara unashamedly watches Hallmark movies all winter long, even though they are predictable and cheesy. She loves a good “happily ever after” with an engaging love story. That’s why Tara focuses on writing clean contemporary romance, with an emphasis on Christian faith and living. She wants to encourage her readers with stories of men and women who live out their faith in tough situations.

Find Tara Grace Ericson online at:

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About Marrying the Rancher’s Daughter

He’s completely wrong for her. But their marriage may be exactly what she needs.

Professional bullrider Jason Keen is chasing a national title–and running from his mistakes. When his last sponsor threatens to pull their support unless he becomes the poster boy of a charming, family friendly cowboy, there is no way he can pull it off. Unless he can find another way to soften his rough-edged image while he works at Redemption Ranch between events…

Despite her family’s status as Colorado ranching royalty, Cassie Reynolds’ heart has been tied to the rodeo since her first event at the tender age of five. If her possessive ex-boyfriend would get the hint and leave her alone, she’d never leave her rodeo marketing job. Unfortunately, with each passing day, he’s growing more desperate to claim her.

When a week at home on Redemption Ranch is interrupted by the appearance of Cassie’s ex, Jason can’t stand by and let him terrorize the owner’s daughter. Could her unorthodox proposal be the solution to get them both through the holidays and the rodeo national finals?

Find Marrying the Rancher’s Daughter online at:

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No matter what I do, it's never good enough.

Book Review | A Home for Christmas by Sara Beth Williams

One criticism of Christian romance is that everyone is beautiful (or handsome) and they all have perfect lives. A Home for Christmas is not that novel. While high school teacher Lynn Monet has a home and a job and all the things we expect of a 30-year-old adult, Garrett Kuhlmann is living in a garage and working two jobs to save enough money for the deposit on an apartment for him and his teenage son.

The Schwab Modern Wealth Survey (released May 2019) claimed that 59% of Americans are only one paycheck away from homelessness (and the subsequent Covid-19 job losses won’t have improved this figure). Garrett’s situation is therefore closer to reality than many of us would like to believe.

I found the first chapter a little awkward, but soon found myself engaged in the story. Lynn is possibly the perfect Christian some readers find difficult to relate to, but she’s also an illustration of a Christian who puts loving her neighbours into action.

Garrett is a hardworking guy who has made a few mistakes and now fallen on hard times. But he’s proud and determined to make a better life for him and his fifteen-year-old son, Josh, and that is an admirable trait.

Lynn, Garrett and Josh were all excellent characters. They felt realistic, and as frustrated as I got with Garrett over his pride and reluctance to admit when he needed help, I could also understand and respect why he was like that.

I found the story an enjoyable read, and I especially enjoyed the relationship between Garrett and Josh.

Overall, A Home for Christmas was a solid Christian romance between a couple that don’t have perfect backgrounds. Recommended.

Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review.

About A Home for Christmas

She just moved to Silver Pine to start a new future. He’s never been more unsure of what the future holds.

Garrett Kuhlmann doesn’t want or need anyone’s pity. As a single father, he’s worked hard by himself to ensure his son is fed, clothed and safe. But after house-hopping for the last year, he is desperate to give his teenage son more stability. If only housing weren’t so expensive. When a young woman gifts him a bag of food to thank him for changing her tire after her car breaks down in the parking lot where he works, he can’t put the act of kindness, or her pretty smile, out of his mind.

Even in the small town of Silver Pine, Lynn Monet didn’t expect to see the man who changed her tire again, until she discovers he’s the father to one of her high school students. The more they interact, the more her heart breaks for Garrett and his son, and the more the duo worm their way into her life. But Lynn isn’t looking for love, and the secret she has will only destroy any potential relationship, just like it had once before.

Lynn’s compassion is like a beacon of light cutting through the darkness of Garrett’s struggles, offering him a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, he doesn’t have to do everything alone. A new chapter of love and stability finally feels within reach. But secrets from both of their pasts threaten to shatter the fragile hope, leaving Garrett to choose between playing it safe or forgiveness and love.

Find A Home for Christmas online at:

Amazon | Goodreads

About Sara Beth Williams

Sara Beth Williams is a published author of Contemporary Christian romance, an ACFW and CIPA member and freelance writer. She has a background in freelance publicity, blog managing, newspaper journalism and nine years in the field of education. Two of her three novels have been nominated for a Selah Award. A Worthy Heart (2020) and Anchor My Heart (2022). She lives in Northern California with her husband and two daughters. When she’s not held hostage by the keyboard, she enjoys playing guitar, reading, gardening and spending time with her family.

Find Sara Beth Williams at:

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I don't want to be the guy she runs from. I want to be the guy she runs to.

Book Review | Restoration by Kristy Werner

First, a trigger warning.

The prologue of Restoration shows trainee nurse Ashley McClure in the immediate aftermath of her being raped by her boyfriend, a doctor. If that is something you’d rather avoid reading, you can safely skip to Chapter One without missing any key plot points.

Having said that, Ashley’s journey as a character is (as the title implies) is her restoration following the assault.

It’s a tough topic, yet the author handles it with grace and sensitivity, and in a way that feels realistic and incorporates Christianity in a realistic yet positive light.

Restoration is the third book in Kirsty Werner’s Tulsa Town Romance series. I haven’t read the first two, but didn’t think I’d missed out on anything.

Ashley is now a SANE—Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner—working in the Emergency Department at Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa, where she meets Officer Ryan Stone of the Tulsa Police Department. He’s handsome and interested in her, but she believes no man would be interested if they knew what had happened to her.

Ryan can tell something has happened to Ashley which has caused her recitence, but he is determined to pursue a relationship with her, no matter how long it takes. He’s a perfect romance hero, and perfect for Ashley. He’s a strong Christian who exemplifies faith, hope, love, patience, self-control and probably a few other virtues as well.

Ashley is a competent and compassionate nurse and SANE, not least because she knows the trauma her patients have endured.

Restoration is a strong story of recovery and restoration.

It doesn’t cut corners or minimise the emotional pain and trauma of assault. It also shows how God can heal—when we allow Him to work. It’s also a beautiful slow-burn romance …

Did I mention that Ryan is possibly a perfect romance hero?

Recommended for contemporary Christian romance fans.

About Kristy Werner

Kristy WernerKristy Werner is an award-winning author originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, the setting of her Tulsa Town Romance series. She aced her art and drama classes in high school, has a hard-earned bachelor’s in Zoology from Oklahoma State University, and now works at her local bank producing an extreme amount of paperwork.

After graduating two children into the world, she discovered her love for putting words onto paper, took up residence on her couch, and wrote her first novel. She currently resides in Stillwater, Oklahoma, where she aims to change the world one clean romance at a time.

Find Kristy Werner online at:

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About Restoration

Restoration by Kristy Werner

One date gone wrong, and Ashley McClure became a victim.

Seven years later, as a nurse and sexual assault examiner, she gathers evidence against other assailants, hoping to make up for letting hers get away. She wants to fall in love like every other girl, but with her past, no man would have her.

Ryan Stone tanked an undercover operation that left people wounded. He strives each day to be a better cop, but no matter his accomplishments, they aren’t enough to eradicate the stain of guilt.

When Ashley and Ryan are invited to the same dinner party, he pursues, but she’s frightened of giving her heart away. Can Ryan use what he’s learned from his mistakes to be the man Ashley needs? Can Ashley overcome her past trauma and let Ryan love her?

Find Restoration online at:

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First Line Friday

First Line Friday #371 | Becoming Us by Jaycee Weaver and Jenn Faulk

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m quoting from Becoming Us by Jaycee Weaver and Jenn Faulk, which I picked up on sale back in July. I just love that cover!

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

All she could find was toilet paper, but it would have to do.

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

 

About Becoming Us

He’s easy-going and charming. She’s hot-tempered and tightly wound. Together, can they become better than who they are apart?

Becoming Us by Jaycee Weaver and Jenn FaulkWorking through the disappointment of a teaching career that isn’t what he expected it to be, Mason Hayes’ otherwise cushy life gets turned upside down by the sudden loss of both parents in a car accident, leaving him with no one in the world. Until, that is, a half-sister he never knew existed shows up.

Hailee Miller-Garcia would do anything for Gina Bennett, including make a trip to meet the brother Gina’s never known – despite the issues Hailee’s having with her mother and little brother. As Mason’s life becomes entangled with her own, his laidback approach challenges her to reevaluate her own ways of dealing with the past, the present, and her dreams for the future.

Delving past friendship and growing into deeper feelings, it’s clear Hailee and Mason are better together. But the road ahead may be rocky and full of unexpected detours, challenging each of them to draw closer to Christ, work through their issues, and dream of a different future for themselves as they become more than a you and a me – they become us.

Find Becoming Us online at:

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Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

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Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

Don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

First Line Friday

First Line Friday #370 | Always In My Heart (Trinity Lakes #14) by Iola Goulton

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I admit: this isn’t actually the book I’m reading today. But it is the book I’ve read over and over this year, because it’s my second book, and it’s releasing on Christmas Eve!

You can preorder from Amazon for 99 cents (the price will go up to the regular $3.99 right after release).

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

Trent Thomas took a seat in the reception area of Stirling, Wright and Noble, one of the most respected—and expensive—law firms in Seattle.

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

 

About Always In My Heart

Sparks fly when an aspiring attorney comes face to face with his past mistakes.

Always In My Heart by Iola GoultonBroke solo mother Maya Allen is raising her daughter, Sarah, as well as her dead best friend’s daughter … who just happens to be her own daughter’s half sister (thanks, cheating college boyfriend). When her lowlife landlord doubles her rent, she realizes it’s time to make a new plan and return to New Zealand with her children. First she has to do the make contact with her ex and compel him to relinquish his parental rights so they can legally leave the country … and not let her still-strong feelings for Trent get in the way.

Trent Thomas is an intern competing for a role in a prestigious Seattle law firm known for their family values. He figures he’s got the job sewn up when Sterling, Noble and Wright send him to his hometown of Trinity Lakes to research a dodgy property deal under the guise of offering the townsfolk pro bono legal services. After all, no one will know the ins and outs of small-town Trinity Lakes gossip better than a lifelong resident.

But he hadn’t bargained on Maya, Sarah, and Kacey stealing his chance to get his dream job, stealing his opportunity to leave Trinity Lakes behind forever, or stealing his heart.

A second-chance small town contemporary Christian romance.

Find Always In My Heart online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

Click here to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

Don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!

You saw what the town needed, not just what we asked for.

Book Review | A Louisiana Christmas to Remember (Anthology)

A Louisiana Christmas to Remember is a collection of three interconnected romances set in the fictional Louisiana town of Moreau, which is loosely based on Natchitoches, the oldest European settlement in Louisiana

A Louisiana Snow by Morgan Tarpley Smith

This is the story of Mattie Hayes, small-town journalist and organiser extraordinaire, who is organising the Christmas market to raise funds to restore the local chapel after it was damaged in a recent hurricane. This means working with Paul Ammons, her long-time rival since he beat her to become high school valedictorian and won a coveted scholarship to Paris.

Restoring Christmas by Betsy St. Amant

This is the story of Jolene, Mattie’s artist cousin, who is hired at the last minute to repaint the town mural, and Cameron, Jolene’s new boss.

A Christmas Reunion by Lenora Worth

This is the story of Mattie’s aunt … and I dont’ want to say too much more about it, because that will ruin the surprise.

My favourite story was Mattie’s, perhaps because she is the character I related to best, and perhaps because I’m a big fan of friends/frenemies to more stories. My least favourite story was Adala’s, because even though I know these are made-up stories, I’m not a fan of controlling parents who go out of their way to do what they want rather than seeking what’s best for their child (as God does for us).

I loved the way the three stories were separate but intertwined.

Even though they are all standalone stories and all set at the same time it’s best to read them in order, as each story introduces situations and characters that become more relevant in the next story.

It’s also fun to see the came characters from different points of view. In the first story, Mattie has definite opinions about Jolene and whether she can be trusted, but Jolene’s story explains why she is how she is.. I enjoyed seeing Granny Eloise in all three stories as well, as the mentor figure able to give advice whether it’s wanted or not.

The three stories combine to provide a heart-warming Christmas set of Christian romances, even if the Louisiana snow is a far cry from the sunshine I am used to at Christmas.

Thanks to Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About A Louisiana Christmas to Remember

A Rare Snowfall Leads to a Christmas to Remember

Three heartwarming, interconnected stories of faith, love, and restoration, brought to you by three Louisiana-native authors. Will a rare snowy Louisiana Christmas bring restoration and hope to the hometown and hearts of three women from the town’s founding family?

In A Louisiana Snow by Morgan Tarpley Smith, meet Mattie: A passionate visionary who learns to forgive and finds love in unexpected places…

In Restoring Christmas by Betsy St. Amant, meet Jolene: An artist and prodigal daughter who discovers love exists in the very place she once called home…

In A Christmas Reunion by Lenora Worth, meet Adale: A beautiful widow who finally dares to love again…

And don’t forget Granny, whose feisty spirit, blunt dialogue, and quirky ways play an important and endearing role.

Find A Louisiana Christmas to Remember online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

About the authors

Morgan Tarpley Smith

Morgan Tarpley Smith is a bestselling author and world traveler who weaves stories of history and heart. She loves to write inspirational fiction that transports readers to faraway places and intertwines past and present to explore questions of truth and faith. Morgan is an award-winning journalist who works as a freelance writer and publishing assistant. She lives in Louisiana with her husband and son. For more information, visit her website by searching her name online.

Betsy St. Amant

Betsy St. Amant Haddox is the author of over twenty romance novels and novellas. She resides in north Louisiana with her hubby, two daughters, an impressive stash of coffee mugs, and one furry Schnauzer-toddler. Betsy has a B.A. in Communications and a deep-rooted passion for seeing women restored to truth. When she’s not composing her next book or baby-talking her dog, Betsy can be found somewhere in the vicinity of an iced coffee. She writes frequently for iBelieve, a devotional site for women, and offers author coaching and editing services through Storyside LLC.

Lenora Worth

Lenora Worth is an ACFW Honor Roll member. She writes inspirational fiction for Harlequin’s Love Inspired and sweet romance for Tule Publishing. She also writes for Kensington Books. She helped launch the Rodeo Knights Western Romance imprint. Her LIS Body of Evidence made the NY Times Bestseller list and she is also a USA Today and Publishers Weekly Bestselling author. In 2016, she received a Romantic Times Pioneers of Fiction Award. Three of her books have been nominated for the ACFW Carol Award and she is an RWA RITA finalist. Lenora has written 80+ books and has an estimated 3 million books in print. She loves cheesecake, shoe shopping, walking on the beach and reading.

First Line Friday

First Line Friday #369 | The Cowboy’s Christmas Decision by Evangeline Kelly

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. I’m starting to embrace the Christmas season, so here’s a short Christmas story that looks like it will be a fun read. It’s got cowboys, Christmas, and a secret crush. What more could I want?

Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

There was a saying that Christmas was a time for hope, but as I pulled up to the parking lot in front of the old Thompson barn, I was pretty sure it would take divine intervention for Luke to see me as more than just a good friend.

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

 

About The Cowboy’s Christmas Decision

The Cowboy's Christmas DecisionA Christmas charity event, a cozy barn, and two best friends. Will this holiday season be the one that changes everything?

Every year, Cortney Turner volunteers at the Christmas Bonanza, a charity event held in a barn in the small town of Copper Creek. As she and her best friend, Luke Fletcher, hang decorations, she can’t help but notice the way her heart races whenever he flashes that crooked smile. Convinced he’ll never see her as anything more than a friend, she reluctantly agrees to a blind date with another man—hoping it will help her move on from Luke.

Luke Fletcher may be known around town for his successful ranch and cowboy charm, but he’s spent years keeping his true feelings for Cortney buried deep, fearing the loss of their treasured friendship. When her blind date cancels last minute, leaving her dateless for the evening’s festivities, Luke playfully offers to step in as her escort, secretly thrilled at the chance to pretend they’re something more.

As the day progresses, neither can ignore the magnetic pull between them. Can one special afternoon transform best friends into something more, or will their fear of rejection keep them trapped in the friend zone?

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